#yogaabc: B is for Balance

Everything is in a constant state of flux – the world, our minds and bodies, are never the same from one moment to the next. Mostly we just react to these changes; moving from happy to sad, from cold to hot, adjusting ourselves from moment to moment to keep within a comfortable range. Our bodies are the same, automatically regulating ourselves in homeostasis. But the range of these fluctuations can vary wildly depending on our lifestyle, health and general wellbeing. We can waste a lot of energy just ‘compensating’, distracting us from fulfilling our potential and making us more tired and irritable, stunting our happiness.Yoga is all about moving beyond this, getting closer day by day to finding that perfectly balanced ‘sweet spot’ in which we can truly flourish. We do this by consciously taking control of our minds in meditation, our bodies in asana practice, through cleansing practices and through our diet, the breath through pranayama, and our lives through living within ethical and behavioural guidelines. Gradually, our lives, bodies and minds find an equanimity that allows us our true nature to shine out and benefit the world.